Living Springs multi-lap XC

The Living Springs course is a scenic 20 km drive from central Christchurch and looks down Lyttelton Harbour from the head of the bay.

We still have a little bit to build, and lots to fine tune, but the course will be about 4 km long. The course travels through a mix of native bush, pine forest and open farmland and will be about 80% singletrack and 20% 4WD track. A start loop will spread riders out a bit before they hit the first section of singletrack.

The course will be fantastic for spectators as it doubles back on itself in several places which means you will be able to see riders several times with minimal walking.

Course map of the 2009 race course...

Download here (PDF, 36KB) a high resolution map of the race course

Course profile of the 2009 race course...

OCC = Outdoor Camping Centre - the carpark and start/finish area for the event. Fantastic views of the Harbour.

Mississippi = Flowy Kanuka forest singletrack (intermediate grade) built mostly in 2006.

Zanes = A 1.1 km long native forest singletrack (intermediate grade with some technical sections) with lots of tight switchbacks, narrow bridges and big grin riding. Built 2007 to 2009.

Skoolz Out = Grass/dirt 4WD and singletrack built years ago for campers to access the Farm Park.

4WD = The steepest section of the course, a 250 m grass 4WD track that takes you up to The Pines.

The Pines = A 1 km long uphill singletrack (intermediate grade) in Pine Forest, built in 2007.

Rhymes with Orange = A short singletrack through scattered kanuka that joins The Pines to the OCC. Built in 2007.

Photo tour of the 2009 race course...

Download here (1.65MB) a descriptive and photographic guide to the course

categories
Number of laps is subject to change, but this is what we are thinking at this stage:

Age Expert Men Sport Men Expert Women Sport Women

U15 4 3 3 2

U19 6 4 4 3

19-29 6 4 4 3

30-39 6 4 4 3

40-49 6 4 4 3

50+ 6 4 4 3

For prizegiving, categories with 5 or less participants will be combined with the closest relevant category.

For information on the Canterbury XC Series head along to www.CanterburyXCseries.co.nz

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

SATURDAY 28 MARCH 2009:
Please be aware that Le Race (road race) is running the same day. Le Race participants will be using Dyers Pass Road (Colombo St roundabout to Sign of the Kiwi) between 8:00 and 8.45 am so we have arranged our schedule to take this into account. It is a 20 minute drive from the Colombo St roundabout to the event carpark. Registration will open at 9.15 am. You do not need to get there earlier than this, but if you really insist, you can drive in via the Lyttelton tunnel and around the bays. Please also plan your day so that you are not driving over Gebbies Pass between 8.40 and 10 am.

Time Schedule

9.15 am Registration Opens

9.45 am Sport Race Briefing and Start

11.40 am Registration closes

11.50 am Expert Race Briefing and Start

2.00 pm Registration Opens for Singlespeed Champs (TBC)

2.30 pm Prizegiving

2.50 pm Registration Closes for Singlespeed Champs (TBC)

3.00 pm Briefing and start for Singlespeed Champs

3.00 pm Ground Effect Clothing Sale - pay by cash or cheque, proceeds to the Living Springs project

stuff to bring
We recommend you bring the following items:

helmet and bike

MTB shoes and riding clothes

appropriate clothing for the weather

drink sufficient for the duration of the race

chainbreaker, pump and a spare tube

this information

mud tyres are highly recommended if the track is likely to be wet

There are showers available so you may also like to bring a towel etc for that

entry

Please be aware that the Singlespeed Champs is a seperate event. If you are wanting to enter this race, please visit www.grindbikes.co.nz We like to be as accommodating as possible. If you have already entered the Canterbury XC Series Race, but want to do the Singlespeed race instead, please let us know. If you are mad and want to do both races (payment for both required) but you would be entering the Canterbury XC Series event in the expert category, we would let you race with the Sport category to give you 3 hours to recover!

All proceeds from this Living Springs event will go towards further development of the Living Springs mountainbike area.

$40 Race entry fee Adults (by Tuesday 24th March)
$20 Race entry fee Juniors (by Tuesday 24th March)

On the day entry add $10

Clicking above will open a new window where you can enter online and pay by credit card.

Don't have a credit card?
Use the following forms if you don't have a credit card or you want to print something out for someone who doesn't have internet access
Information sheet as Word (.doc) OR Information sheet as pdf

Entry Form as Word (.doc) OR Entry Form as pdf

I will add a downloadable form for those who don't have a credit card

If you need to withdraw from this event, let us know ASAP to receive a partial refund. If it is before or on 26 March it will be your entry fee less $5. Notification after this date will be considered on compassionate grounds. In the unlikely event the event is cancelled, the amount of a refund will be set at the organiser's discretion. The race will be held in any weather unless officials decide safety is an issue (phone 03 322 7886 or 027 3134 908 if any doubt). The course may be modified in strong wind or wet conditions.

how to get there

From Christchurch head up Dyers Pass Rd and drive over the Port Hills to Governers Bay. Continuing through Governors Bay, follow the road around the harbour for 3.5 km. Just past where the road gets down to sea level (Allendale) is the Living Springs Farm Park. Turn right just past the Farm Park into Bamfords Road and follow that uphill for 3 km to the event carpark at the Living Springs Outdoor Camping Centre (OCC). We estimate the OCC can hold around 120 cars. Overflow carparking will be 500m back along Bamfords Rd near the main Living Springs Event Centre or, if required, down at the Farm Park.

View Larger Map

In the area:
Living Springs
Ohinetahi Gardens (and here for more)
Taunton Gardens
Governers Bay Holiday homes
Information on Maori history of the area
Early Settlers at Governors Bay
Governors Bay Hotel
Lyttelton Harbour Information
Black Cat Cruises

Spectators are very welcome at this event and are free to watch the action. However, you must ensure you stay out of the way of competitors and all children must be closely supervised. The course has some excellent viewing spots and photographic opportunites, especially with the numerous forest sections.

thank you

Our thanks are extended to all those who have helped build this awesome track (see here for the list of trackbuilders and organisations who have financially contributed), Living Springs for making their land available for the enjoyment of mountainbikers, the volunteers for the many important jobs they undertake to organise the event and finally, the sponsors who are supporting this event...

This page is subject to change

Craig & Rebekah Tregurtha
Backyard Events
www.mountainbike.orcon.net.nz
Canterbury cross-country mountainbike events
03 322 7886 ... 027 313 4908 ... XC@paradise.net.nz